'Trillions of times stronger': Cosmic rays from dark matter could be hitting Earth
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: IceCube collaboration/NASA
Cosmic Mystery
The most powerful cosmic rays may not come from distant galaxies but from dark matter annihilation right here in our Milky Way.
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Invisible Culprit
A proposed dark matter particle, the scalaron, could be colliding and self-destructing, releasing ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
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Stronger Than CERN
These cosmic rays are trillions of times more powerful than those created in Earth’s largest particle accelerators, like the LHC.
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Big Bang Relic
Scalarons may have formed during cosmic inflation, an era when the universe expanded faster than light after the Big Bang.
Credit: NASA
Rare Collisions
Two scalarons rarely meet, but when they do, they annihilate in a burst of extreme energy, creating ultra-high-energy particles.
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Dark Matter Test
If this theory holds, it could offer proof of dark matter and reveal secrets about the early universe never seen before.
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Too Good to Be True?
Scientists warn that this idea requires changes to Einstein’s relativity, meaning it may collapse under deeper scrutiny.
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Competing Theories
Some believe molecular clouds in our galaxy might produce these rays, meaning dark matter may not be the culprit after all.
The Next Step
Further studies could confirm or debunk this radical idea, potentially rewriting our understanding of dark matter and cosmic energy.